Dennis Rodman Missed A Bulls Shootaround In 1997-98 Because He Couldn’t Find The Keys To His Truck: ‘I’m Not Making This Up’

Dennis Rodman missed a Chicago Bulls shootaround during the 1997-98 NBA season because he couldn’t find the keys to his truck. 

Rodman began acting aloof after Scottie Pippen made his return from surgery and was the No. 2 option behind Michael Jordan, moving Rodman to the third role. 

“Two weeks after my season debut, Dennis skipped a morning shootaround,” Pippen wrote in his memoir. “His reason for not being there: he didn’t feel like it. Phil Jackson, as a result, didn’t feel like having Dennis around when we took on New Jersey. He sent him home. Dennis missed another shootaround several weeks later. The excuse this time: he couldn’t find the keys to his truck. I’m not making this up. I wish I were.”

During the 1997-98 NBA season, Rodman took an in-season vacation. He went to Las Vegas with Carmen Electra and was only supposed to be gone for 48 hours. 

However, Rodman was away from the Bulls for more than 48 hours, forcing Jordan to drag Rodman out of bed and back to practice. 

“He didn’t come back on time,” Jordan said in Episode 4 of The Last Dance doc. “We had to go get his ass out of bed. And I’m not gonna say what’s in his bed and where he was.”

Rodman said in The Last Dance doc that he appreciated Jordan and Pippen for accepting him for who he was. 

“Michael and Scottie accepted me for who I am,” Rodman said. “I go party hard, but I work hard. I think that we get along so well because we wanna win. We wanna win a championship.”

Rodman appeared in 80 games for the Bulls in 1997-98. He averaged 4.7 points, 15.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.2 blocks. The NBA icon led the league in rebounds per game. 

The Bulls went 62-20 in 1997-98. Jordan, who played in all 82 games, averaged 28.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.5 blocks. MJ won his 10th scoring title and fifth MVP.

Meanwhile, Pippen averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks in 44 games. 

Chicago defeated the New Jersey Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers in the 1998 Eastern Conference playoffs to advance to the NBA Finals. The Bulls faced the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals, their opponent from the 1997 NBA Finals.

After the Bulls beat the Jazz in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals on June 7, Rodman skipped practice the next day to fly to Detroit and wrestle with Hulk Hogan.

Chicago fined Rodman $10,000.

“I just think that Phil realized that I need to always do me,” Rodman said in The Last Dance doc. “Just go do what I do. … They’re gonna get 100% when I’m on the court.”

The Bulls defeated the Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals in six games for their sixth championship in franchise history. Jordan won his sixth Finals MVP, Pippen won his sixth ring and Rodman captured his fifth championship. 

After the 1997-98 season, Jordan retired from the NBA, the Bulls traded Pippen to the Houston Rockets in a sign-and-trade deal and Rodman signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jordan, Pippen and Rodman won three championships together in Chicago. The three NBA legends are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.